Adenosine is a naturally occurring nucleoside, which exerts its biological effects by interacting with a family of adenosine receptors known as A1, A2A, A2B, and A3, all of which modulate important physiological processes. For example, A2A adenosine receptors modulate coronary vasodilation, A2B receptors have been implicated in mast cell activation, asthma, vasodilation, regulation of cell growth, intestinal function, and modulation of neurosecretion (See Adenosine A2B Receptors as Therapeutic Targets, Drug Dev Res 45:198; Feoktistov et al., Trends Pharmacol Sci 19:148-153), and A3 adenosine receptors modulate cell proliferation processes.
The A1 adenosine receptor mediates two distinct physiological responses. Inhibition of the cardiostimulatory effects of catecholamine is mediated via the inhibition of adenylate cyclase, whereas the direct effects to slow the heart rate (HR) and to prolong impulse propagation through the AV node are due in great part to activation of IKAdo. (B. Lerman and L. Belardinelli Circulation, Vol. 83 (1991), P 1499-1509 and J. C. Shryock and L. Belardinelli The Am. J. Cardiology, Vol. 79 (1997) P 2-10). Stimulation of the A1 adenosine receptor shortens the duration and decreases the amplitude of the action potential of AV nodal cells, and hence prolongs the refractory period of the AV nodal cell. Thus, stimulation of A1 receptors provides a method of treating supraventricular tachycardias, including termination of nodal re-entrant tachycardias, and control of ventricular rate during atrial fibrillation and flutter.
Accordingly, A1 adenosine agonists are useful in the treatment of acute and chronic disorders of heart rhythm, especially those diseases characterized by rapid heart rate, in which the rate is driven by abnormalities in the sinoatrial, atria, and AV nodal tissues. Such disorders include, but are not limited to, atrial fibrillation, supraventricular tachycardia and atrial flutter. Exposure to A1 agonists causes a reduction in the heart rate and a regularization of the abnormal rhythm, thereby improving cardiovascular function.
A1 agonists, through their ability to inhibit the effects of catecholamines, decrease cellular cAMP, and thus have beneficial effects in the failing heart where increased sympathetic tone increases cellular cAMP levels. The latter condition has been shown to be associated with increased likelihood of ventricular arrhythmias and sudden death. See, for example, B. Lerman and L. Belardinelli Circulation, Vol. 83 (1991), P 1499-1509 and J. C. Shryock and L. Belardinelli, Am. J. Cardiology, Vol. 79 (1997) P 2-10.
A1 agonists, as a result of their inhibitory action on cyclic AMP generation, have antilipolytic effects in adipocytes that lead to a decreased release of nonesterified fatty acids (NEFA) (E. A. van Schaick et al J. Pharmacokinetics and Biopharmaceutics, Vol. 25 (1997) p 673-694 and P. Strong Clinical Science Vol. 84 (1993) p. 663-669). Non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM) is characterized by an insulin resistance that results in hyperglycemia. Factors contributing to the observed hyperglycemia are a lack of normal glucose uptake and activation of skeletal muscle glycogen synthase (GS). Elevated levels of NEFA have been shown to inhibit insulin-stimulated glucose uptake and glycogen synthesis (D. Thiebaud et al Metab. Clin. Exp. Vol. 31 (1982) p 1128-1136 and G. Boden et al J. Clin. Invest. Vol. 93 (1994) p 2438-2446). The hypothesis of a glucose fatty acid cycle was proposed by P. J. Randle as early as 1963 (P. J. Randle et al Lancet (1963) p. 785-789). A tenet of this hypothesis would be that limiting the supply of fatty acids to the peripheral tissues should promote carbohydrate utilization (P. Strong et al Clinical Science Vol. 84 (1993) p. 663-669).
The benefit of an A1 agonist in central nervous disorders has been reviewed (L. J. S. Knutsen and T. F. Murray in Purinergic Approaches in Experimental Therapeutics, Eds. K. A. Jacobson and M. F. Jarvis (1997) Wiley-Liss, N.Y., P-423-470). Briefly, based on experimental models of epilepsy, a mixed A2A: A1 agonist, metrifudil, has been shown to be a potent anticonvulsant against seizures induced by the inverse benzodiazepine agonist methyl 6,7-dimethoxy-4-ethyl-beta-carboline-3-carboxylate (DMCM, H. Klitgaard Eur. J. Pharmacol. (1993) Vol. 224 p. 221-228). In other studies using CGS 21680, an A2A agonist, it was concluded that the anticonvulsant activity was attributed to activation of the A1 receptor (G. Zhang et al. Eur. J. Pharmacol. Vol. 255 (1994) p. 239-243). Furthermore, A1 adenosine selective agonists have been shown to have anticonvulsant activity in the DMCM model (L. J. S. Knutsen In Adenosine and Adenne Nucleotides: From Molecular Biology to Integrative Physiology; eds. L. Belardinelli and A. Pelleg, Kluwer: Boston, 1995, pp 479-487). A second area where an A1 adenosine agonist has a benefit is in animal models of forebrain ishemia as demonstrated by Knutsen et al (J. Med. Chem. Vol. 42 (1999) p. 3463-3477). The benefit in neuroprotection is believed to be in part due to the inhibition of the release of excitatory amino acids (ibid).
Adenosine itself has proven effective in treating disease states related to the A1 adenosine receptor, for example in terminating paroxysmal supraventricular tachycardia. However. these effects are short-lived because adenosine's half-life is less than 10 sec. Additionally, as adenosine acts indiscriminately on the A2A, A2B, and the A3 adenosine receptor subtypes, it also provides direct effects on sympathetic tone, coronary vasodilatation, systemic vasodilatation and mast cell degranulation.
A class of compounds that are potent A1 adenosine receptor agonists, full and/or partial, has been reported (see U.S. patent application Ser. No. 10/194,335, filed Jul. 17, 2002, the complete disclosure of which is hereby incorporated by reference). One compound disclosed in this patent application, identified as (4S,5S,2R,3R)-5-[(2-fluorophenylthio)methyl]-2-{6-[(2-hydroxy-cyclopentyl)amino]-purin-9-yl}oxolane-3,4-diol, has been shown to be a highly selective partial A1-adenosine receptor agonist.
Given the heightened interest in this and similar compounds, in particular the diastereoisomers of (4S,5S,2R,3R)-5-[(2-fluorophenylthio)methyl]-2-{6-[(2-hydroxy-cyclopentyl)amino]-purin-9-yl}oxolane-3,4-diol, it has become desirable to find a new method of synthesis that provides a convenient method for making large quantities of such compounds in good yield and high purity, avoiding the use of chromatography and other labor-intensive separation steps.